From School Library Journal
Grade 6-9-Dogs have a central part in these 12 stories, but they rarely occupy the spotlight. As in life, these canines take on a subordinate role, offering up their devotion. Several of the selections explore life situations in which a pet displays extraordinary companionship, intelligence, and instinct. In "Lab," Willa, 16, is fed up with her annoyingly big, happy family, plus another baby on the way. She strains at civility toward her fertile mother while she pampers her own brood of abandoned dogs, ducks, and kittens, until she's the only one around to help her mother give birth. Her witty sarcasm sparks this eventful journey. In "The Boss," a street kid adopts a canine guard as a shield against the world. It's a gritty read about an abused and needy boy teaming up with a similarly afflicted dog. Probably the most creative piece is "A Grave Situation." What begins as a typical retelling of an unbelievable animal trek across improbable odds shifts subtly into a poignant story of reconciliation. Beginning in narrative form, then changing to e-mail correspondence, this contrasting communication provides a perfect backdrop to a surprising and heartfelt story. Hearne doesn't load up on overly sentimental situations; instead, she creates empathetic realities. From hopeful and heartening to tragic and heartrending, these stories are well drawn, told with refinement, and enlivened with credible characters, both human and canine.
Alison Follos, North Country School, Lake Placid, NYCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
*Starred Review* Gr. 5-8. Nina is a Xoloitzcuintli, a hairless dog from Mexico, and the beloved pet of a high schooler from Chicago, who takes his responsibility for her seriously. He knits her a sweater to ward off winter's chills and packs sun block when the two vacation in California. But away from Walter's watchful eye, Nina is inadvertently loaded into the unheated hold of an airplane. Unless the error is discovered, she will surely freeze to death. Such is the tension in "Cargo," just one of 12 heartfelt, meticulously honed stories that introduce unique dogs and uncharacteristic "young humans." The tales range from contemporary to timeless, and running through many of them is the theme of a dog's ability to draw a troubled or isolated individual back into life. They are all good, but Hearne's talent is most apparent in "Room 313." The emotions and dialogue are pitch perfect as she tells of teenage Anne, whose excitement about a date is tempered by the death of a child she and her dog Snowy have visited at the hospital. A rewarding collection that will stay with readers.
Ellen MandelCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
